Buffalo is serving as an incubator for the bus of the future

by jmaloni

Submitted

Mon, Dec 16th 2013 02:20 pm

A volunteer outfitted with motion sensors navigates a full-scale replica of a public bus. The University at Buffalo's Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDeA Center) is studying how to improve the design of buses by analyzing what works and what doesn't with current models. (Credit: UB IDeA Center)

With
NFTA, UB researchers are testing features that could make public transit better
for all users

A
temporary building on the University at Buffalo's South Campus houses a
humble-looking contraption that could serve as a spark for improving public
transit everywhere: a full-scale replica of a 40-foot public bus, complete with
a fare box, seats and wheelchair ramp.

For
five years, researchers at the UB Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental
Access (IDeA Center) have been inviting volunteers with disabilities to take
part in everyday activities such as boarding, disembarking, paying fares and
getting seated on the indoor vehicle.

The
objective: To make suggestions about improving the design of buses by actually
analyzing what works and what doesn't work with current models.

While
this may not sound like a radical concept, many features of transit fleets
meant to accommodate people with special needs are put into production without
being adequately tested, said Jordana Maisel, IDeA Center director of outreach
and policy studies. The same goes for buildings and public spaces.

"Using
a simulator allows us to see what the actual problems are," she said.

"By
testing simulated designs prior to production, accessibility, safety and
usability problems can be reduced in production models of vehicles and new
buildings," said Edward Steinfeld, Arch.D., director of the IDeA Center. "For
example, we identified a problem in our lab with a new ramp system two years
before it was later reported in the field."

The
study, which is ongoing, has resulted in recommendations including:

•Creating a
continuous handrail that goes from the front entrance of the bus to the
fare box, which will help blind and visually impaired passengers locate the
device.

•Using smart
cards that you can simply tap against a card reader to improve boarding
speed and convenience for all riders, especially those with poor motor control
and those with visual impairments.

•Enabling mid-vehicle
boarding for wheelchair users; this would enable faster boarding, as boarding
in front requires navigating wheelchairs through a difficult turn and narrower
spaces between the front wheel wells.

The
research team used motion sensors and video recordings to study areas where
volunteers experienced difficulties.

Findings
were sent to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in Western New York,
whose latest 1300 Series buses already have two changes recommended by the
study: placing a metal bumper on the floor beside the driver's seat to prevent
mobility devices from running into uneven edges and getting stuck, and adding
another bumper by the front doors to direct mobility devices onto the bus ramp
while disembarking.

The
NFTA has four of these upgraded vehicles in service, said Jeffrey Sweet, an
NFTA equipment engineer who manages bus procurement. He said the hope is to
incorporate additional IDeA Center suggestions as the authority procures more
buses and updates its on-board fare collection system.

"The
interior of a bus is rife with unintended consequences of design elements," he
said. "This study helped to show areas where current designs could be improved
to assist our riders with disabilities."

Kimberley
A. Minkel, NFTA executive director, commented, "We are very fortunate that
members of our Metro division have had the opportunity to collaborate with the
IDeA Center to help improve public transit accessibility for our customers in a
way that we could not accomplish on our own."

As
the new NFTA buses hit the road, IDeA Center staff plan to partner with the
authority to study whether the new design features are making a difference.

Research
on the model bus will also continue, exploring issues including how well
different types of ramps work, and how to improve wheelchair securement. The
team will also alter the simulator to reduce its size from a clone of a
full-scale bus to a smaller shuttle bus for additional study.

The
model bus was built as part of a multifaceted, $4.7 million Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center on Accessible Public Transportation that UB and
Carnegie Mellon University established in 2008 using a grant from the National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Steinfeld co-directs the
center with his son, Aaron Steinfeld, Ph.D., a researcher at Carnegie Mellon's
Robotics Institute.

This
year, the two universities received a second, $4.6 million NIDRR grant to continue their work,
which involves everything from exploring how real-time trip information can
empower accessible travel, to studying how vehicle and sidewalk improvements
can reduce reliance on paratransit, which is significantly more costly than
public transit.